Fluoroelastomer are synthetic rubbers designed for demanding service applications in hostile environments, endowed with outstanding chemical and thermal resistance.
Perfluoroelastomers having fully fluorinated fluorinated backbones and typically based on copolymers of tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) and perfluoromethylvinylether (MVE), optionally comprising recurring units derived from cure-site containing monomers, represent in this domain top-edge class of materials, introduced into the market since late sixties.
Generally these TFE/MVE copolymers have roughly a 60/40 mol/mol to 65/35 composition, which enables achievement of required elastomeric behaviour; such copolymers generally also comprise recurring units derived from monomers comprising curing sites and/or end groups contemplating such cure sites. Typically, peroxide curing is preferred technique used for their vulcanization and moulding.
Despite their availability since over 30 years, there is still a continuous need for further improving performances of these materials. Thermal resistance at high temperatures is, among other, a continuous filed of endeavour in the development of novel perfluoroelastomers.